Rideau Canal Skateway back open for what could be 'one last hurrah'
After a two-day closure, the National Capital Commission (NCC) hoisted the green flag and opened the Rideau Canal Skateway at noon on Saturday.
In a social media post Saturday morning, the NCC said skaters can travel along a stretch that runs from Bank Street to Pretoria Avenue. However, they are warning skaters to stay in marked sections.
On Friday evening, the NCC said they were hoping for "one last hurrah of skating for this season" and added they were keeping a close eye on the forecast.
According to Environment Canada, temperatures are expected to drop as low as –17 C tonight. But over the week, warmer weather is expected to set in, going as high as 10 C on Tuesday.
Sporadic openings over a shaky season
Saturday's announcement is the latest in a string of unpredictable openings. Unlike last year, which saw the skateway closed for the entire winter, this year it's opened a few times in short bursts.
On Jan. 21, skaters got their first chance of the year when the NCC opened the stretch between Bank Street and Pretoria Aveunue. But that only lasted a few days.
The most recent opening prior to today ran from Feb. 18 to Feb. 21. But it wasn't a great start — the NCC initially recommended walking the canal instead of skating due to poor ice conditions.
The ice eventually improved, and the NCC even opened an extra section of the skateway between Pretoria and Waverly until they shut the whole canal down again to preserve the ice.
Ice on the canal needs to be at least 30 centimetres thick before the skateway can safely open, and even thicker if the quality is poor.
People change into skates on the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa on Feb. 19, 2024. (Jean Delisle/CBC)
